


Time After Time

by LovelyMagickPegacorn



Category: Glee
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-15
Updated: 2014-01-02
Packaged: 2018-01-04 17:56:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1083973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovelyMagickPegacorn/pseuds/LovelyMagickPegacorn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Faberry Week Day 1: Reunion. A ten year high school reunion brings with it a surprise or two.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Eyes closed and half asleep, Quinn buried her face in her girlfriend's hair. She inhaled deeply, and let out a contented sigh as she exhaled. She loved mornings for this simple reason. Even better were the lazy days when they'd lie in bed for a few extra hours. It wasn't one of those days though. They had a flight for Lima that they would have to catch soon. Of course there was nothing saying that they had to go. It was just a ten year reunion after all.

Or at least that's what Quinn kept telling herself. Try as she might, she knew that there was something in particular that was drawing her back to that little old town in Ohio. And nothing, not even the beautiful girl in her arms could stop her from visiting home. It'd been years since she'd been back, but given her desire to escape the place that wasn't much of a surprise.

Slowly, sunlight crept into the room. It shone through the curtains and roused the brunette in Quinn's arms. She let out a displeased sound which Quinn replied to with a kiss onto the back of her head and a, "Morning superstar."

"Morning beautiful," the singer yawned out. She shifted her position so she was facing Quinn and gave her a quick peck on the lips. "Today's the day, isn't it?" she asked excitedly, receiving a half-hearted nod as an answer. "Hey, don't be like that. It'll be fun." She turned her head to the side to check the time, and upon noting it, shimmied out of Quinn's arms. "I'm going to go take a shower," she announced as she sauntered over to the bathroom. "I'll be right back."

"Okay baby."

"Of course… you join me," she suggested with a seductive eyebrow raise. Quinn licked her lips before taking her lower one between her teeth. She bit down hard because as tempting as it was to have a shower with her girlfriend she knew that they would very likely get carried away. And if that were to happen they would surely miss their plane. Reluctantly, she shook her head. "Fine, but you're going to miss this ass," she said, continuing to the bathroom as she gave her hips some extra sway. "I guess I'll just get some help from the showerhead." And with that she was gone.

Quinn whimpered and fell back onto the bed. Her girlfriend never played fair. She probably should have just given in but it was too late now. She busied herself by checking her bags. They hadn't packed much for the trip as Quinn had no intention of staying for long. Her plan was simple; come by, see her mom, catch up with old friends, maybe reminisce a bit, and then head back home. It was simple, just as Quinn wanted it to be.

Their belongings looked to be in order so Quinn decided to head downstairs and make a little breakfast before her girlfriend finished her shower. After a bit of browsing, she settled on making pancakes with a side of sausages for herself. Before long her girlfriend came strolling in. "Mmm, that smells good." Quinn turned around and, to a certain amount of delight, found that her girlfriend was fully clothed unlike the previous time that this something like this had happened and she had gotten the great idea of coming downstairs with only a towel on.

In a way Quinn was disappointed, but she was also relieved that she wouldn't be distracted any further. She finished the current pancake that she was making and continued onto the next one. "I've got some done already if want to eat." Arms wrapped around her waist and lips fell upon her neck.

"I think I'll wait."

Quinn resumed cooking as her girlfriend peppered kiss along her neck, occasionally nibbling her earlobe. Maybe Quinn had spoken too soon when she assumed that all distractions were out of the way. "You're trying to kill me, aren't you?"

"Of course I'm not," the brunette husked into her ear. "But what a way to go if I was, huh?"

"Death by sexual frustration?" Quinn mused. "That would be a way to go, but if I were going to die I'd prefer it if I was actually having sex."

"Well remember; you're the one that turned me down."

"Don't remind me," Quinn groaned as she reached for her cup of coffee. A high school reunion shouldn't have been this stressful, but she was about ready to start pulling her hair out. It had been a while since she had been home. In fact, Quinn couldn't quite remember the last time she had gone back; some time when she was still at Yale most likely. "Let's just eat."

"Sure thing babe." She grabbed a couple of plates and began stacking pancakes for the two of them. She brought them to the table where the two of them started consuming their meal. As she ate, Quinn leisurely swung her legs. Her feet soon came in contact with those of her girlfriend and small game of footsies would follow. It made Quinn laugh.

Easy going mornings, she truly did love those. Her life was all but perfect; there wasn't much more that she could ask for. The two of them went on eating as they continued their little game. And after that they went off for the airport. With that, Quinn crossed the threshold of no return. Any doubts she previously had meant nothing at that point.

She slept off her worries during that flight while her girlfriend watched the in-flight movie and made certain that she was comfortable. Hours later she shook Quinn awake. "Hey baby, we're about to land." Quinn let out a yawn and stretched her arms out.

"Thanks superstar." Home. She was home again. Quinn looked out the window and took a grip of her girlfriend's hand. She was still nervous, but with the girl beside her Quinn was certain that she'd be able to make it through whatever awaited her.

After they touched down, the pair hailed a cab and directed the driver to Quinn's old house. They received no answer when they got there and so Quinn was forced to retrieve the spare key. Luckily it was still hidden in the same place even after these years. They strolled inside and found the place to be seemingly empty. "Mom?" The only answer that followed was the echoing of Quinn's voice.

"Is she not here? You did tell your mom that we were coming by, right?"

"Yeah, let me send her a text." Quinn typed out a quick message and received a prompt reply in a few moments. "She's out at the store. She didn't expect us to be here so soon. While she's out why don't we go upstairs and relax?" she suggested after a moment of thought. Without even waiting for an answer, Quinn already began heading upstairs, following the familiar path up to her room. "Come on, I'm tired." Quinn tugged on her girlfriend's hands who giggled at her.

"Tired? You slept through the entire flight," she teased to which Quinn frowned. Things always had to be difficult, but she didn't have it in her to have one of their little play fights right now. Quinn marched back downstairs and stared her girlfriend down. But instead of starting an argument, she simply picked her up bridal style and carried her upstairs while she screamed out half-hearted protests.

When she reached her room, Quinn kicked open the door to her room and plopped her girlfriend down onto the bed. She jumped in after and cuddled up with her. "Come on, let's sleep. We have a big day ahead of us." Despite the time, the two of them drifted off into a deep slumber.

The following day was the day of the reunion. Quinn woke up bright and early to prepare herself. Her choice of attire was limited to what she brought along with her so she it didn't really take her long to come up with an outfit for the day. She spent the rest of the morning sitting on the end of the bed until her girlfriend woke up.

Before long she could hear her stirring and soon hands were on her shoulders. "Hm, I felt something was wrong." A kiss on her cheek. "It was cold without you there beside me." Quinn gave her a peck on the lips as an apology. "That's a little better."

"Just a little?" Quinn asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe a little more than just a little." Another kiss. "But I should be getting ready." And so she got up to get changed in the bathroom, leaving her girlfriend behind in disbelief. Quinn groaned and fell back onto the bed. Sometimes she was certain that her girlfriend was trying to kill her. She was such a tease some times, but she did learn from the best. If only it wasn't for that stupid 'it's all about the teasing and not about the pleasing' thing from Celibacy Club.

Quinn simply waited, but not for long. In time, they were on the road and soon after they were there. It was almost surprising how many people had come back to the middle of nowhere, or at least it should have been. But Quinn knew better, most of her former classmates still lived within the town and quite likely they still were all still as close as they were in high school.

For those who stay in Lima, Ohio nothing ever really changes.

It was for those who left that things got interesting. "Q?! Hey is that you?!" Quinn turned in the direction of the hollering. "It is you! Get your bitch ass over here!" But of course, some things just don't change. Quinn shook her and headed off to her best friend, or former best friend. As she approached she noticed that Santana's hand was tightly interwoven with that of Brittany's. It was nice to see them again. Quinn had lost touch with them over the years, but they still knew a bit about what was happening in their respective lives. "Hey who's that?" They didn't know everything though.

"Oh, yeah. Let me introduce you." Quinn took her girlfriend by the hand and presented her to her friends. "Brittany, Santana this is my girlfriend, Harmony. Harmony, this is Brittany and Santana." Harmony extended her hand to greet Santana and Brittany. The two of them shook it in turn, slightly flabbergasted at the surprising, if not completely unexpected, turn of events.

"It's nice to meet you."

"Same to you."

"You look familiar. Have we met somewhere before?"

"Not formally, but our Glee Clubs did compete against each other at Sectionals ten years ago." As the three lf them continued to talk, Quinn let her eyes roam the area for even the slight sign of her. But now that she was here, Quinn wasn't even certain she really wanted to see her. She was happy enough with her life even if it wasn't the life she had imagined for herself as a kid. But then again, neither was the one that she had dreamt up while in high school. She was happy though and that's what was important.

She searched on for a few moments, but found no trace of the pint-sized brunette. Given her Broadway schedule, there was a chance she didn't even have the time to visit. A gentle stroking on her arm brought Quinn back to the current conversation. Perhaps it was for the best. They caught up, regaling each other with tales from opposite ends of the country. Distance sure had its toll on relationships, which in part was a reason why Quinn had decided to move out to California.

But she had missed moments like these. Brittany and Santana were one of a kind. She would never be able to replace them; Santana with her snarky attitude which hid a heart of gold, and Brittany with her everlasting child-like belief in all things magical. They truly made quite the pair.

"Woohoo! Look who made it?!" Out of reflex, Quinn turned towards the direction that Santana was pointing. Her heart skipped a beat and the grip she had on Harmony's hand faltered. She was as beautiful as ever, more so even if that were even possible. "Hey Berry! Over here!" Rachel's head shot up and the moment her eyes met Quinn's, she lit up like the star that she was.

"Quinn!" Rachel broke into a sprint and engulfed Quinn into her arms. "Oh, Quinn. It's so good to see you." It had been so long and yet it felt so natural; Rachel's arms wrapped tightly around Quinn's neck, her chin resting upon her shoulder as she stood up on her tiptoes. It was all so overwhelming. Quinn's senses were on overdrive. Hearing, seeing, smelling and touching her again, Quinn found herself falling in love with Rachel all over again. Or maybe she just never stopped. And when she pulled back Quinn felt like an important part of her had been ripped away. "It's been so long Quinn, I- oh, Hello."

"Oh yeah. Uh, Rachel this is um…"

"Harmony; we've met. It's nice to see you again, but why are you here?"

"I'm with Quinn," Harmony answered, lovingly wrapping an arm around the blonde. "I'm her girlfriend."


	2. Chapter 2

"A girlfriend, huh?" The question was one that Quinn had been anticipating. It was only a matter of time before Rachel asked it. Quinn was only grateful that Rachel had waited until they had a chance to talk alone to ask it. Her tone was simple, steady. Quinn tried to search her features to find the slightest hinting of jealousy, the smallest clue that she might have a chance. She found none. Then her thoughts went back to Harmony, and she instantly felt sick with herself.

"Surprise," she replied weakly, showing the slightest bit of fanfare with a wave of her hands. She felt a fluttering in her stomach, an uneasiness that wouldn't die down despite the fact that Quinn knew how Rachel would take this news. And yet she still worried. But she began to relax the moment that Rachel's lips curved into a small smile. "I guess you have a lot of questions."

"Yes… no." She shook her head and looked away briefly. "I mean… yes, I do have questions, but I don't need you to answer them." Quinn shyly nodded her head in response. Despite having grown to accept her sexuality over the course of college, Quinn suddenly felt very self-conscious about it. It was almost like high school all over again. "I'm really happy for you, Quinn. It's nice to see that you've been able to find someone special. I only wish that I was as lucky."

Quinn's eyes flickered towards Rachel. She was still single. There wasn't really any news to suggest otherwise, but even then Quinn found the news to be unexpected. But people never did appreciate Rachel as they should have. Quinn reached out and tentatively took a grasp of her hand. She squeezed it tightly, earning a small but genuine smile. Her hands still felt as small as ever. They were so tiny and yet they held enough warmth to fill Quinn with joy.

It had been so long, far too long in Quinn's opinion, since she'd last held Rachel's hand. It was one of many small things that Quinn had missed. They were the little details in their friendship, things that had occurred quite frequently, hand holding, hugs, playful teasing and the like. There was never anything special about any of it, but Quinn held onto those memories and she cherished them unlike any other.

"So… what have you been up to?" Quinn asked, if only to change the subject. It wasn't as if Quinn wasn't interested, but as the fact was, she knew all about the happenings of Rachel's life. Since college and her first big role as Fanny Brice, Rachel had been busy making her dreams come true. And she had been quite successful in doing so. It wasn't very difficult to find out what was happening in the life of Rachel Berry.

"Like you don't know," Rachel teased, playfully jabbing Quinn on the side. Quinn's breath hitched in her throat, and for a moment she worried. She wondered if maybe Rachel knew, if somehow she had learned about how she periodically checked up on her. But her worries soon dissipated because she knew that despite how well Rachel could read her, she never paid enough attention to her to notice things like that. Quinn weakly shrugged her shoulders to which Rachel responded with a fake gasp. She then went on with one of her rants in typical Rachel Berry style.

She went on and on, and it while it was a bit annoying, it felt nice. Quinn had missed this, and so she listened attentively while Rachel summarized the past couple years of her life. Most if not all of the details were ones that Quinn was already familiar with; from roles she had gotten to awards that she had been nominated for, everything she spoke of were things that one could have easily found out on Google. But that's the lifestyle of and the famous, Quinn could only suppose. She had been proud of Rachel and so happy for her getting as far as she had, but hearing talk about her life, Quinn couldn't help but think that it didn't end up being everything that Rachel had originally wished for; like she was missing something.

But Quinn put on a smile and made sure react accordingly as Rachel continued on with her tale. Rachel had to be happy; that's what Quinn kept telling herself. She had to be. At the very least, Rachel looked happy enough. All the same though, Quinn looked happy as well but she could have been happier. Again she felt guilty; thinking such things when she had an amazing girlfriend to go home to.

Her eyes wandered until she found her amongst the crowd. Harmony was always so good to her. She even gave Quinn some private time to talk with Rachel. If she had to be honest with herself, Quinn would have to say that she didn't deserve her sometimes. The smile on her face began to falter. "Hey, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine."

As the night wore on Quinn grew weary. Coming had been a mistake. She had been happy and now she was just confused. These feelings, she was sure that she had left them in the past exactly where they belonged. But with each passing moment deep-seated memories made their way to the surface. She hated it, all of it; most of all though, she hated herself for wanting to know if there was still something there. She couldn't even remember why she wanted to know in the first place.

Later on Quinn couldn't get to sleep. Her dreams were haunted by Rachel's face, her laugh, her aroma, her everything. She was inescapable, and Quinn found herself drawn to the Berry household. It was late, not at all the appropriate time to visit someone. Regardless, Quinn rang the doorbell. She waited a moment for an answer, but when one was not found, Quinn decided that it was best to leave before she did something stupid. Unbeknownst to Quinn though, a second later Rachel opened the door.

Quinn went back home and slipped into bed, cuddling up behind her girlfriend. There was no point in denying that she still loved Rachel, but even if she did, even if she loved Rachel more than Harmony, she couldn't do anything to hurt her girlfriend. It would be wrong and she had made enough mistakes in her life already. Her thoughts still wandered so she couldn't find any rest, but Quinn took comfort in the warmth her girlfriend provided. She pulled her in close and buried her face in her hair.

Harmony shifted her weight, letting out a sigh of content as she turned to face Quinn. "Hey," she said, cupping her girlfriend's face. "Can't sleep?"

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to-" Harmony shushed her with a kiss.

"Don't worry about it, just come snuggle with me." Quinn's lips curved upward and she took her normal spot as the big spoon. She held onto her girlfriend with a tight embrace and tried once more to go to sleep. But the moment she closed her eyes, she began to imagine that the girl in her arms was Rachel. Her eyes shot open as she let out a gasp. "Is something wrong?" Harmony reached behind, her hand just brushing against Quinn's before Quinn jumped out of bed. Harmony swiftly got up, gazing at her girlfriend with a worried look upon her face. "What is it?" She started to get up, but halted when Quinn made a gesture with her hands to tell her to stay put.

"Nothing," she answered breathlessly. "I'm fine, I just… I just need to get some water."

"Okay… Don't be too long."

"I won't." Quinn tried to shake off the thoughts of Rachel as she descended the stairs. Her efforts proved to be fruitless though. She headed towards the kitchen to grab a glass of water as she had told her girlfriend. She doubted that it would actually help, but there was no point in not trying. Quinn grabbed a cup, filled it up, and drank in down. It was enough to get her nerves to calm down, but she was certain that she still wouldn't be getting any sleep. She let out a long deep sigh, her hand out in front of her, bracing her against the sink.

"Is everything all right Quinn?" She jumped back an inch, nearly dropping her glass onto the floor. Quinn took a moment to catch her breath as she looked up at her mother who was watching her with a hint of concern in her eye. Quinn brushed her hair back into place, turning to face the sink again so as to avoid eye contact.

"Yeah mom, I'm fine." Her voice was shaking; uncertain. Quinn knew that her mom wouldn't buy it, and just as she expected, Judy soon began approaching her. She placed a hand upon Quinn's shoulder and gently turned her so that they were facing each other once more.

"What is it Quinn?"

"Nothing," Quinn insisted. "I just can't sleep." Quinn hated having to lie to her mother. Things hadn't always been easy with her, but they progressively got better once Quinn started to become more honest with her. Judy had even been surprisingly supportive when Quinn finally gathered up the courage to come out to her. As it was, in recent years, Judy had been the mother Quinn had always needed.

"Are you sure that's it?"

"Yes mom."

"So this has nothing to do with Rachel?"

"No, I… what?" Quinn replayed her mother's words in her head. Rachel? Her mom had mentioned Rachel, but… "Why would this have anything to do with Rachel?" Again her voice was unsteady. She cursed herself for not having more control over her feelings. Her mother simply shook her head.

"Because you love her," Judy answered. Quinn shook head and once again broke eye contact. "There's no point in denying it sweetheart; a mother always knows. You've loved that girl since the first day you met her, and clearly you still do." Judy cupped her daughter's cheek as Quinn continued to shake her head. Tears began to form in her eyes so Judy pulled her into her embrace. "Shh, it's okay. It's okay." She rocked them back and forth, slowly and gently with Quinn quietly crying into her shoulder.

"I don't know what to do." Judy simply nodded. There was no motherly advice that she could give, no words of wisdom, nothing that she could do or say that would make everything better. All she could do was to hold onto her daughter and tell her that everything would be okay. They stood there for what felt like hours until Quinn's eyes began to dry up.

"Better?" With her throat dry from her sobs, Quinn could only nod in response. Judy rubbed comforting circles upon her back before pulling back so she could grab the cup that her daughter had retrieved and fill it with some more water. She handed it back and let her drink it up. "I'm not going to tell you what to do Quinn, but I just wish that you listen to your heart. All I want is for you to be happy. And just know that no matter what you decide, I'll be there to support you."

"Thanks mom."

"Now go upstairs and get some sleep." Quinn gave her mom one last hug before retreating upstairs and slipping back into bed. She took Harmony into her arms and focused on her scent so as to not allow her mind to drift off and think of Rachel. It was with a heavy heart that she pushed such images away. She needed a clear head, and with that though, Quinn released her grip on her girlfriend and flipped around on the bed. And at that moment, Harmony did as well. Her arm wrapped around Quinn's stomach and hugged her in close. She tugged on her and buried her face into Quinn's hair.

A mumbled, "I love you," was whispered into her neck as her sleeping girlfriend tightened her hold. "I love you," she repeated as she nuzzled into Quinn. Quinn took a hold of Harmony's hand and interlaced their fingers. She held onto her tightly, bringing her hand up to her lips to kiss her knuckles.

"I know. I love you too."

As true as those words were, Quinn knew that they were also a lie.


	3. Chapter 3

The sound of the doorbell ringing gathered Rachel's attention. She hurried downstairs, calling out an, "I've got it," and proceeded to open the door. Outside she found the, not completely unfamiliar, sight of Quinn Fabray with tears in her eyes. "Quinn? Quinn what is it? What's wrong?"

"Harmony and I," Quinn sobbed. "We broke up." Rachel let out a gasp and immediately took Quinn into her arms.

"What? Oh Quinn." She rubbed her back gently as tears began soaking her top. "I'm so sorry. Come inside." Rachel hurried her in and sat her down on the couch while she went to the kitchen to grab Quinn a glass of water. When she returned to the living room, Quinn had calmed down somewhat but she handed her the water anyway. Quinn quickly gulped it down before saying her thanks. "It's okay." Rachel took a firm and supportive grip upon Quinn's hands. She looked deeply into her eyes as she spoke. "What happened?"

"I…" Quinn didn't know where to begin. She didn't know how to explain.

* * *

_Earlier…_

As morning broke, Quinn's eyes opened. The night had seemed to go on forever and sadly she only managed to take mild comfort in her girlfriend's warm embrace. Light began to shine through the curtains and Harmony shifted as she let out a groan. Harmony wasn't much of a morning person. Quinn took a hold of her hand and brought it up to her lips. She slowly kissed her knuckles. "Morning baby." Harmony hummed out a response and nuzzled closer into her. Normally she wouldn't be fully away for a few hours, and it was a bit surprising when Quinn felt the bed dip.

Harmony propped herself up on her elbow and craned her head over Quinn's form before planting a kiss upon her lips. "Morning," she greeted groggily. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, and upon seeing Quinn more clearly concern fell upon her face. "Did you get any sleep last night?" she asked, closing examining her. For a moment, Quinn considered lying but she didn't have the energy to do so. She gave an apologetic shake of the head to which Harmony frowned at. "Aw, poor baby," she cooed, kissing Quinn once more. "I know what'll make you feel better." Harmony gave her one last kiss before exiting the room.

With a raised eyebrow, Quinn followed her. She watched Harmony descend the stairs and called out after her. "Where are you going?" Harmony shot her a look as she bit down her lip. She looked as though she was considering whether or not to tell, but if she was she decided not to.

"Just wait upstairs. You won't regret it."

Although somewhat skeptical, Quinn did as she was told and retreated back into her room. She couldn't really argue when given the opportunity to relax and so she lied down on her bed. They were planning to stay in town for a couple of days and she needed as much time as she could get to figure everything out. When she had first bumped into Harmony, Quinn had never intended on pursuing a prolonged relationship. In all honesty, she hadn't planned on pursing a prolonged relationship at all.

There was only ever one girl that Quinn could see a future with, but all the same, she knew that a life with Rachel was completely out of the picture. There was always someone or something in the way, not to mention the fact that Rachel had never actually shown interest in another girl before. It was a lost cause, and thus there was no reason to treat it as anything but. And so she did what anyone in her position would do, she dated.

Nameless girls with forgettable faces. Quinn had seen her fair share. Some were sweet; others, not so much. But none of them were anything special. And then Harmony came around. Originally, she appeared to be but a simple carbon copy of her first and only true love. And while that's what attracted Quinn to her in the first place that wasn't what kept her around.

As she got to know her, Quinn grew to learn that there was more to Harmony than what she had originally thought. She was similar to Rachel in so many ways, but different in many others. It wasn't love though, at least not at the time. Intrigue would be a more appropriate word. So the two of them hung out and went on dates and before long they fell into a pattern, and Quinn had herself a girlfriend and a potentially happy future ahead of her. And now, there she was going over the 'what ifs' once more.

She halted those thoughts though once she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. It was Harmony, and with her came a heavenly aroma. Quinn didn't even have to guess what it was, and not a moment later her girlfriend came in with a plateful of bacon with a side of toast and large glass of orange juice. Quinn forced on a smile as Harmony handed over the breakfast that she had cooked up. It looked delicious, but even bacon did little to lift her spirits. "Thanks, this looks great." Although her words were soaked in endearment, there was no hiding how she felt deep down.

Harmony's lips curved downward into a frown and she settled herself besides her girlfriend. She took a hold of her hand and held it tightly in her own. "What is it? What's wrong? It's not the bacon, is it? It's perfectly crisp just the way you like it."

"No, no. The bacon's perfect. It's not that, it's…" She would have liked to have had more time, but luck wasn't on her side. Harmony wouldn't let this slide; it wasn't in her nature. Better sooner than later, Quinn supposed. It was now or never. She dropped her head, effectively breaking eye contact, as she considered her next words carefully.

"Quinn, you're worrying me."

"It's…"

"What Quinn? It's what?"

"It's… complicated."

"Complicated?" Harmony echoed. She let out an exasperated breath and shook her head. "Complicated as in ex-girlfriend complicated?" she question, a hint of bitterness to her tone.

"What? No!"

"Don't lie to me." Her eyes turned fiery, brimming with emotion. She stared Quinn down, not making a single effort to hide how she was hurting. "I'm not blind, Quinn. I saw how awkward things were between you and Rachel. I saw the way you looked at her. Is she why you were reluctant to come back? Is that it?" Despite her fury, her tone spoke more of sorrow and heartache as opposed to anger. "Well?" Harmony steeled herself for whatever answer awaited her, and while there were no tears in her eyes, Quinn knew that she was crying on the inside.

"It's not that simple."

"Then explain it to me."

"Rachel and I… we never dated, okay? We were just…"

"What? If you never dated the what… oh." Realization dawned upon her. Harmony looked back upon their relationship and it was then that all these little things that she could never quite understand finally started to make sense. It was actually kind of funny, in some sort of sick tragic sort of way, that she hadn't put it together before and so she couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. "You know, I always wondered why you kept calling superstar."

"That's because that's what you are," Quinn assured, to which Harmony scoffed.

"Do you love her?"

"I love you."

"That doesn't answer my question, Quinn. Do you love her?" Harmony asked once more.

Quinn swallowed thickly and nodded her head. "Yes… yes, I do. But that doesn't matter."

"Doesn't matter?" Harmony asked, her voice rising, as she jumped out of the bed. "How does that not matter? Explain to me, how does that not matter?" She spun on heel with a frustrated grunt. A second later she began to pace as she willed herself to calm down. Quinn carefully got out of bed, so as not to ruin the breakfast her girlfriend had lovingly made. She walked up to her and placed her hands on her shoulders to halt her movement.

"Because I love you and I'm with you. I'm happy with you and…" And Rachel can't love me back. "And… and…" And she was doing it again. All this time Quinn had thought that she had built herself up, that she had gotten stronger. But deep down she was still that frightened little girl who was so scared of getting her heart broken. Her hands fell from Harmony's shoulders in defeat. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

Harmony exhaled deeply and nodded slowly. "So what now?" Quinn didn't answer. She didn't know. She didn't know much of anything anymore. She didn't even know if the girl in front of her was still her girlfriend. Harmony's brows knitted together as she considered where to go from there. "You know what, I'm tired. I'm going to find a hotel to stay in for the night and we can discuss this further tomorrow."

"What? Don't be ridiculous. You can still stay here; I'll just sleep on the couch."

"I can't. That would just be too weird." She turned to the door and began to leave.

"Wait!" Quinn chased after her and grasped onto her wrist. "Please, just stay. I understand that you probably hate me right now but I still care about you and I don't want you to go out there, okay? Just stay, please."

"I don't hate you Quinn," Harmony admitted. "And that's why I can't stay. I still care about you too, but… I think we need some time apart." A brief hint of silence passed them by. She was leaving. For how long, or if she would even come back, Quinn didn't know. And she supposed that wouldn't have mattered anyway. Things wouldn't ever be the way they were. They wouldn't be happy like they used to, not after this.

"Are you sure you want to leave?" she asked, the double meaning of her question not lost on either of them. Harmony's nod was small, but firm. This was it. They were over. "Will you at least let me pay for your room?"

"Okay... Quinn?"

"Yeah."

"How much do you love her?"

"Harmony-"

"Just please."

* * *

_Present…_

"I…"

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." Rachel got up to her feet and reached out for Quinn's. "Why don't we go up to my room, huh? My bed is a lot comfy than this couch, and if you want you can even get some rest. I'll be there to watch over you the entire time so won't have to worry about anything." Quinn felt like crying all over again, and despite her attempts to fight it, she was soon sobbing once again. A panicked Rachel immediately pulled her into her arms, hugging her tightly. "It's okay Quinn, it's okay. Don't worry, it's okay."

Quinn shook her head into Rachel's shoulder. "You're too good to me."

"That's what friends are for," Rachel cooed, which earned a loud sob from the girl in her arms. "Shh." She gently rocked the two of them as she hummed a soothing tune to calm Quinn down. She rubbed tiny circles on the small of her back and placed a kiss upon the top of her head. Slowly, Quinn's cries died down. And when things were finally silent, Rachel reluctantly pulled back with her hands on Quinn's shoulder, holding her at arm's length so she could examine her fully. "Better?"

"I love you." Her voice cracked, and sounded so small, but she had said it. That's what mattered.

"I love you too Quinn."

"No, I love you. I'm in love with you, and I'm been in love with you since the moment that I first met you. I was too scared to admit it back then, and even now it still scares me how much I care about you, but there's no point in denying it anymore. I thought that I had moved on. I thought I had gotten over these feelings, but I haven't. And I don't think I ever will. Because I love you Rachel Barbra Berry and I always will." She hung her head down low, waiting for the rejection that was certain to follow, but none came. "Rachel?"


	4. Chapter 4

Quinn hadn't expected much out of Rachel after giving her declaration of love. There wasn't much to expect except for the fact that they would remain friends in the end. Rachel wouldn't abandon her like that; she was far too kind to do something like that. And while the rejection would hurt, Quinn didn't have the heart to cut off ties just because the future that she had so often dreamt off would simply be that, a dream.

Love was like that sometimes, a lot of the time actually. It was messy, it hurt and it didn't make the slightest bit of sense. But it could also be warm and magical and sometimes, if you were lucky, it could even be perfect. But Quinn Fabray was not a lucky person. Everything that she had ever had in life had to be earned. Things weren't given to her, not freely at least. She had put her heart on the line, and then could only guess how it would be received.

The confusion was written upon Rachel's face. The grip she had on Quinn's shoulders loosened, and Quinn suddenly felt very cold. "Rachel, please. Just say something."

"Quinn, I… what am I supposed to say?" She looked down to her hands and then back up into hazel orbs. In them she saw Quinn silently pleading her to not let go; asking her to hold onto her for at least a little bit longer. Rachel held on. "Up until yesterday I didn't even know you were gay, and now you come here telling me that you've broken up with your girlfriend because you're in love with me. How am I supposed to react to that?"

"I'm not asking you to love me back. I just need you."

"I know." She held onto more tightly and pulled her in for another hug. "I'm sorry. This is just a lot to take in a once. I just don't understand why you couldn't at least tell me that you were gay before," she explained as she gently rubbed Quinn's back. "We're friends and you know I'd never judge you, especially when it comes to something like that."

"Because I was scared. Because I knew how this was going to end." Quinn pulled back and slipped out of Rachel's arms. "You're going to tell me that you care about me a lot, but only as a friend. And it's going to hurt, but it's something that I'll have to accept. I'll try to move on but I won't be able to and so I'll keep pining over you even though I'll never show it. And then someday you'll find a sweet guy that actually deserves you and the two of you will get married. I'll be there when you have your wedding. I'll be your bridesmaid or maybe even your maid of honor and I'll be supportive because that's what I'm supposed to do. You'll be happy and I'll try to be happy for you too."

"Quinn…"

"Tell me I'm wrong." Her words came out matter-of-factly. She knew that Rachel wouldn't be able to, but she hoped and she wished that she would prove her wrong; that Rachel would grab her by the face and kiss her, that she'd spill out a similar declaration of love, or that she'd say that there was a chance. But as she watched the light disappear from Rachel's eyes, she knew that none of those possibilities were going to happen. "It's okay."

"I do love you Quinn."

"I know."

* * *

_Five months and eighteen days later…_

It's been a while, not that long of a while, but it's been a while. Since Rachel's rejection, Quinn had moved to New York. Normally such a decision would only result in further pain, but having Rachel close and having her support actually helped Quinn in her attempts of moving on. She had not in fact moved on, just as she had predicted, but she was trying. The two of them would hang out occasionally, but only occasionally. It was agreed upon early on that it would be beneficial for Quinn if she didn't see Rachel on a daily basis.

Their friendship hadn't changed, which Quinn was grateful for. Rachel would still hug her and touch her like she always had, and she was kind enough to never mention the moments when Quinn would hold on for an extra moment or two. There was the fact though that Rachel would never mention her love life. Whether if she did so for Quinn's benefit or if she did so because her love life was simply non-existent was something that Quinn didn't have the heart to ask.

All in all, life for her was okay. At the very least she now knew that her greatest fear of Rachel not only rejecting her but also cutting her out of her life completely would not come to pass. And that, that was all she could have really asked for. And living in New York was a nice change of pace. Quinn had fully enjoyed the city during her brief trips there, and now she had the chance to fully appreciate its splendor. She was still getting accumulated though, and so sometimes it would take her a bit of time to make it back to her apartment.

It wasn't the most elegant looking place, and Quinn could have afforded something more expensive but it was quaint enough and a fair distance from where Rachel lived. Not exactly a deciding factor but it was something to take into consideration. The people who lived on her floor were a nice bunch as well. Like the girl Sarah who lived across the hall. Quinn didn't know her very well but she was pretty and funny and had a great laugh. And she was also possibly bisexual, possibly. Despite being gay, Quinn had pretty awful gaydar.

A chuckle escaped her lips at the thought, to which she soon heard one in response. Her eyes shot up and she suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. Sarah was right in front of her, making her way towards the exit of the building. "What's so funny?" she asked with a smirk. Quinn only chuckled again and shook her head. There was no way that she was going to tell her that she had just been thinking about whether or not she was bi.

"Nothing."

"Nothing, huh? Would nothing happen to involve your girlfriend coming over to visit?"

"Girlfriend? What? I…"

"Hey, it's okay. You don't have lie about it. She's cute. I hope you don't mind, but I let her into your apartment." It took a while for her words to be fully processed. There was a girl in her apartment, and apparently a cute one at that, who was claiming to be her non-existent girlfriend. Questions began springing up in her mind. The most obvious one though was who; who would pretend to be her girlfriend? "You should probably get up there." Maybe, but for all Quinn knew she could have had some crazy stalker in her apartment… or someone might have ordered her a prostitute.

"Yeah, I guess I should." Quinn said her goodbyes, hopefully not her final ones, and began her trip upstairs. There was no telling what she'd find so she readied her Taser just in case. In retrospect, she probably should have informed Sarah that she didn't have a girlfriend but it was too late for that. She inserted her key into its slot and slowly turned the knob. Quinn inhaled a breath and then shoved the door open, and there on her couch was neither a stalker nor a prostitute but was her. "Rachel? What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you," she said, slowly getting up to approach Quinn. "I'm sorry about not calling beforehand. I wasn't really sure how to discuss this over the phone and I really needed to see you. And I'm also sorry about 'kind of' breaking in. I should have waited but instead I may have told your neighbor that I was-"

"My girlfriend."

"Right… I know that's insensitive-"

"It's not."

"It is," Rachel insisted. "But I've been thinking about that day and… if you still feel the same I'd like to ask you out."

"What?" Quinn was completely dumbstruck. Of all the different possibilities that could have awaited her, this was the last one that she would have expected. She was certain that it was all a dream; that any moment she would wake up in her bed desperately clinging onto her pillow as though it were Rachel. It wouldn't have been the first time. But her alarm didn't go off, nor did light suddenly shine into her eyes. This was real. This was happening. "Ask me out? Like a date? As in a romantic date?"

"Yes." Rachel waited a beat for Quinn to respond, but when she didn't, she decided to explain. "When you first told me that you loved me I didn't want to say it because I didn't want to give you false hope only to disappoint you later, but there were times when I had considered if my feelings for you had possibly changed." She let her sink in before continuing on. "It's no secret that I've desired your friendship since we first met. And over the years I've grown to admire your strength and ambition. You are an amazing person Quinn, and it wouldn't be hard for me to believe that I could fall in love with you."

"You could?"

"Of course I could, but I never considered the possibility. How could I? Up until recently I didn't even know the possibility of us having a relationship together even had the potential of being reality. I may be a dreamer Quinn, but even I know that some things are impossible. But now I know that they are and so, if you'll still have me," Rachel said as she extended her hand out. "I'd like to see where this might go. Will you go out with me?"

"Yes! Of course yes!"

* * *

_Three months and twelve days later…_

Quinn has since moved in with Rachel. Her plans to travel the world have been temporarily put on hold, but when she finally does go on that trip she won't be alone. It's like a fairy tale, except for the fact that it's real. It's real and she's really waiting for her girlfriend to come home. And her girlfriend really is Rachel Berry. The door swung open and not a moment passes before Quinn has her scooped up into her arms. She moved over to the couch and sat down with Rachel in her lap.

The first kisses were soft and tentative, but soon she slipped her tongue into Rachel's mouth. Rachel moaned and groaned into her. It was like music to her ears. Quinn lifted Rachel back up and with practiced steps she took them to the bedroom. She tossed Rachel onto the bed and for a second she just looked at her, admiring the sight. There were few things that looked as beautiful as Rachel did when she was panting and out of breath. She licked her lips and crawled onto of her. Quinn captured Rachel's lips with her own and resumed their previous activities until she heard a murmured, "Wait."

Instantly she pulled back. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Rachel answered honestly. "You're amazing, really. It's just different… being with a girl. Your lips are softer, and so is your skin, and pretty much everything else is too."

"We can take this as slow as you want. Anything for you Rachel."

"Have I told you recently that you're amazing?

"I think you just did."


End file.
